300 families from Kisauni in Mombasa county are living in fear of an imminent eviction, over an ongoing land tussle with a SACCO.
The residents of Bombo and Maweni are saying that the SACCO, which emerged to demand the 14-acre piece of land in 1997, denied them a chance to celebrate Christmas holidays.
This is after leaflets threatening them of eviction from the land were scattered in the area, which they say has been the case during each Christmas season since the case erupted.
The families are claiming that they have occupied the land, which they inherited from their parents, since 1927. However, the SACCO has also claimed it bought it.
“It is not the best way to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ,” said Robert Katana, an elder at Utange Bombo area.
He said that the youth spent the Christmas night holding a vigil, incase goons were sent to evict them.
At Utange Maweni, the 100 residents are accusing lawyers who had offered to help them register a 10.2-acre piece of land left for them by an Indian farmer of grabbing it.
They say that the lawyers proceeded to register the land in their name behind their backs. When they went for a third lawyer to help them with the matter, he shortchanged them.
“We showed them the boundaries. Little did we know the two lawyers had their own plans. They went and registered the land in their names," Bahati Thoya, a resident, said.
They too spent the holiday in fears of a possible eviction by the same SACCO.
The environment and Lands Court has taken up the matter.